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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23193925">Shining, Shimmering, Splendid</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymystory/pseuds/Onlymystory'>Onlymystory</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Episode Vignettes [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>9-1-1 (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Episode Fix-it, Family Feels, First Kiss, Getting Together, M/M, Panic Attacks, Vignette</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-03-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 06:33:49</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,247</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23193925</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Onlymystory/pseuds/Onlymystory</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Christopher accidentally spills the beans about Eddie's feelings, will this be what pushes Buck away again? This time for good. </p><p>Featuring excessive abuse of Disney's "Aladdin".</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Evan "Buck" Buckley/Eddie Diaz (9-1-1 TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>9-1-1 Episode Vignettes [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1667722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>613</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Shining, Shimmering, Splendid</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have like seven gajillion plot bunnies that whump on poor Buck. I mean, it's so addicting and also it's hard to want to write bad things happening to Eddie because he has Christopher and the show doesn't let Eddie have nice things anyway.<br/>But I figured I could at least get in a little emotional torture of Eddie, just this once.</p><p>The panic attack is not overly detailed and entails zero vomiting.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>"You sure you don't want to punch me?" teases Buck.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie can feel his face getting hot but before he can say anything, Christopher pipes up from the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Dad doesn't want to punch you, Buck," says Christopher in that fully exasperated tone only a child can pull off  "He wants you to kiss him."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Oh really?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck isn't looking at Eddie yet--thank goodness--he thinks as he desperately tries to get his face under control. Eddie was sure this level of betrayal from his own kid wasn't supposed to happen until he was at least 13.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Really," huff's Chris, completely oblivious to his dad's internal panic. "He always looks like Aladdin does when Jasmine's around, all dopey. I asked Carla why Aladdin looks like that and she said it's because Aladdin loves Jasmine. And when grownups love each other all weird like that, they like to kiss."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck's full attention is still on Christopher, but he looks like he wants to absolutely die of laughter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie, meanwhile, is pretty sure he's going to have a panic attack. Because things have been good, really good lately. Like yeah, he's still got a lot of stuff to work out and his anger still comes in waves. But ever since the 118 found out about the fighting, Buck's been around. Just slid back into their lives like he'd never left. From the day Buck showed back up at the house, walking in like he owns the place and declaring it an official pancake day, Eddie's anger hasn't been so bad that he's felt like he's drowning anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But if this.. if Christopher's casual words--and fuck has he always been this transparent -- push Buck away, he doesn't know if he'll ever feel above water again. And how can it not push Buck away? Even if Eddie can get it together, and convince Buck that Christopher's exaggerating, he knows how this will go. Buck will be kind and polite at first. But then he'll start turning down invitations until he's just a co-worker, coming over no more often than Chimney or Hen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie digs his nails into his palms hard enough to draw blood and tries to breathe. He can get this under control before Buck turns around.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He can… </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Sometimes Daddy yells your name really loud when he's in the shower," reveals Christopher with child-like disdain. "I think he thinks you can hear him all the way at your house so he doesn't have to use the phone."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And oh God, thinks Eddie. This is how he loses the second most important person in his life. He'll lose Christopher too of course. His son will never forgive him if Buck vanishes from their lives again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And that's it. His chest is tight, it's too tight, he can't--can't breathe.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thinks he's falling, must be falling, the sound of broken glass suggesting he knocked over his beer, and he just keeps falling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There's a hand on his chest and Buck's voice, piercing through the fog. "Breathe Eddie," says Buck as steady as if it was a victim he's rescuing from a fire. "Breathe with me, carino, that's it. In, two, three, four. Now exhale, two, three, four." Eddie keeps his eyes closed and concentrates on Buck's counts.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Daddy?" Christopher's voice sounds far away and yet far too close.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I need you to stay out of the kitchen," says Buck. "There's broken glass and I don't want you to get hurt, Christopher."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Is Dad going to be okay?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"In, two three four," counts Buck. "Out, two three four. He'll be okay. You know how we like to play music really loud and dance so we don't have to hear the rain?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Christopher sniffles. "Yeah?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Well Dad just got scared like we do," continues Buck, his hand a steady pressure as Eddie slowly figures out how to breathe again. "But he didn't tell anyone what he was scared of, so we couldn't help him not be afraid."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Christopher's voices tremulous at best. "Did I say something wrong?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"No, sweetheart," answers Buck. "In fact, I am very glad you said that. Dad will be too in a few minutes. Now, can you sit on the couch for a few minutes and watch TV while I help him?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Okay."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Eddie," says Buck. "Can you open your eyes for me, carino?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So he wasn't crazy. Buck did say that before. Eddie keeps a death grip on Buck's hand as he opens his eyes. Buck looks like he's been crying but his voice is steady. "Sounds like we need to talk."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"I'll get it under control," gasps Eddie. "Just please don't leave us. Not again."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Baby," says Buck, tilting Eddie's chin up so he's forced to look at him. "If a tsunami couldn't take me away from you, nothing can."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"The law--lawsuit did," hiccups Eddie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not forever. Never forever. I'll always come back to you." His hands gently caress Eddie's cheeks. "Don't you know by now that you and Christopher are my two favorite people in the world?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But you're straight," protests Eddie.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Says who?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Your dating history?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck snorts. "My dating history is two people. My hookup history is much more varied." His next words are spoken much more softly. "Eddie, if I had known I had a chance with you, I would have asked you out months ago."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"But what about Christopher?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"What about him? Eddie, I have to remind myself several times a day that he's not actually my kid and I'm not supposed to be this attached."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eddie takes a shuddering breath. "I didn't think it was fair to pressure you. To make you feel like you had to be interested to keep from upsetting Christopher. Or worse, that you'd leave us."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Buck sighs. "I want to take offense to the idea that you think so little of me, but I know how much you've been dealing with, so I'm willing to let slide that your fucked up brain has you thinking like this."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"My brain seemed pretty convinced I would lose you if I told you how I really felt."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Not to be super cliche," says Buck, his smile like sunlight glittering on a dusty shelf. "But tell me Eddie, when did you last let your heart decide?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It's ridiculously cheesy, but Buck is staring at him, gaze hot and heavy, and all of Eddie has just been laid bare and Buck is still here. He can't help but marvel at that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Buck," he whispers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And just as Buck has always known what he needs, he feels the softest press of lips to his own and the pressure of Buck's hand on his neck promises so much more.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now what?" asks Eddie after several moments.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Now you go sit on the couch with our kid," answers Buck. "I clean up this mess. We play a few video games and eat an excessive amount of ice cream."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"And tomorrow?"</span>
</p><p>
  <span>"Tomorrow, I'll need to borrow some clothes, because I'm not going anywhere tonight." Buck stands and pulls Eddie up with him, leaning in for one more kiss. "I'm already home."</span>
</p>
<hr/><p>Two weeks later, Eddie feels like he should probably be less surprised when he gets home after dropping Chris off at Abuela's for a sleepover and finds Buck naked in his bedroom.</p><p>
  <span>On a Persian rug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On top of his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Asking if he wants to go for a magic carpet ride.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What will your pleasure be, indeed.</span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><div class="children module" id="children">
  <b class="heading">Works inspired by this one:</b>
  <ul>
    <li>
        <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26231035">Сияющий и бесконечно прекрасный</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/aurora22/pseuds/dancingmind">dancingmind (aurora22)</a>
    </li>
  </ul>
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